Rail clamp



D. AMBROSE.

RAIL CLAMP.

APPLICATION FILED HOV.12, 1921.

1,418, 122 Patented may 30, 1922.

2 SHEETS-SHEET I.

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INVENTOR ATTORNEY WITNESS:

D- AMBROSE.

RAH. CLAMP- APPLICATION FILED NOV. 12, 1921. 1,418 122. Patented y 30, 1922 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

- flay-is Jmiqrmre 4 I I BY Mfi M ATTORNEY 1 rail "clamp.

tween the base or .gether at the portions .mwrs AMBROSE, or novisvinnnxnnruciw. I

ItAIL onAMr.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, DAVisAMBRos a citi zen of the United States, residing at Louisville, in the county of efferson and State of Kentucky,

Improvements in Rail Clamps, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention has. reference to a ranged below the rails an'd'the said lower ortions being provided with pockets in which there are arranged .wedge members spring influenced in a direction away from each other and whereby vibration of therails incident to the rolling stock passing there-y association of parts, such as over willpermit of a canting movement of? the clamp sections and allow the springs to influence the wedges to force the same into tighter frictional engagement with the clamp sections and withthe.

base of the rails to effect abinclingaction between the said wedges and the base portions of the rails and a binding action between the portionsof the clamp sections which are received in the fishing spaces of'the rails so that the rails willbe effectively held from sinking or lateral movement but will be afforded the necessarylongitudinal movement incident to expansion an contraction.

The foregoing, and other objects: which will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, may be accomplished by a construction, combination and operative is disclosed by the drawings which accompany and which form part of this specification.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a side elevation illustrating the application of the improvement.

Figure 2 is a bottom .plan View. Figure 3 is a sectional view on the line 3--3 of Figure l.

Figure i is a sectional view on theline Specification ofLetter-sziatent. I

Application filed ember 12 1921.

have invented new and useful Serial No. 514,730,

Patented May 30,1922. 7

- Figure 5 is a perspective view of'one of the clamp sections.

*' Figureb is a view of the wedgemembers and the spring connecting the same.

Referring now to the drawings "in detail,

the numeral 1 designates the abutting ends t of two railway rails. In the present in-.

stance, the rail ends are connected by angle plates 2", and the said rail endsrest on ties'3.

Between two of the ties 3 the rails are braced and supported by a clamping device Y "in accordance with" this invention.

' The clamping device includestwo similar sections .indicated by tively. Each section is shapedfto provide a base 5, a side 6 which is arrangeduponthe outer edge of the The jaws 7 are shaped so that'their lower portions will contact with 'the' horizontal flanges of the angle plates. and their inner the, numeral- '4: respecbase and an. inwardly directed portion in the natureof a jaw 7 ends will contact with the vertical faces of the said angle: plates. -The base portions '5' of the clamp sections are disposed a considerable distance portions of the rails, and the said base ortions are preferably"notchedor slotted? at 8 from their inner ends. The outer face offeach clampsection hasf'an aligning opening therethrough, and through these openings there is below the base 'or bottom passed a bolt "as "a to adjacent their outer 9. The bolt is threadedat both of its ends and 'its said threaded ends are engaged by nuts 10. Preferably the openings through which the bolts pass are'somewhat vertically 1 elongated to permit of thecanting of the clamp sections thereon.

The base 5 of each of the clamp sections 4, i

at the inner end thereof is channeled or grooved from its outer to its inner end, the said grooves or channels being indicated by the numeralll, and resting on the walls ofthe said channels there are wedge membersthe wedge 12. As disclosed by the drawings, members have their under faces rounded, as at 13, and their upper faces flat. The inner and widened ends of the wedge members are each provided fingers 15 provided upon the parallelincinbe rs lGof springs. The parallel members or arms of the springs" are "coiled, as at 17 upon their outer ends, and the springs are held in proper position by the arrangement of the bolt 9 therebeneath.

The nuts 10 on the bolt '9 are not neceswith an aperture 14k with} in which is received the angle extens ons or of sufiicient pressure upon the wedge members to force sarily screwed entirely home.

strength to at all times exert a the same away from each other and consequently to cause the lower rounded and beveled-faces thereof to travel in the con caved depression in the base portions ofthe clamp sections, so that the upper flat faces of the-said wedge members will be brought into frictional engagement ,with the lower foot or bottom portions of the rails. Such j movement of the wedges will have the effect of canting 0r tilting the clamp "sections .so that the jaw portions thereof will be brought into tight engagement wlththe side and base of the angle plates, or into engage ment with the web and base flange of the rails were the angle plates not employed.

' It is thought that theforegoing description, when taken in connection with the drawings will fully set forth'the construction and advantages of the improvement and that further detailed description will not be necessary. I

The bolts have arranged thereon split lock washers 18, one of the sides of which nectingthe rails; ofa clamp comprising two sectlons constructed to engage the angle plates arranged beneath the bottom of the rails, at the meeting ends of the said rails, means connect ng the clamp sect1onsbeflow the rails, and spring, influenced wedge members between the clamp sections and the bottom of the rails.

2. In combination with the abutting ends The spring is of two railway rails, and angle plates connecting the rails; of a clamp comprising two sections, each of said sections including a base, a sideiand a jaw formed on the side, said jaw designed to contact zontal and vertical flanges of the angle plates,.means connecting the base portions of the'clamp sections, opposed wedge members between the base of the clamp sections and the bottom of the rails, spring means in I fiuencing the wedge members away from each other, andthe connecting means be- 4 5 with l the horitween the clamp sections supporting said spring means.

3. In combination with the abutting ends of two railway rails and angle platesconnecting the rails; of aclamp comprising two sections which engagewith the rails'at the,

comprising a base, a side and a jaw secured jaw designed to be arranged I meeting endslthereof, eachof said sections to the side, said on the horizontal flange of the angle plate and to contact with the vertical flange of thesaid plate, the base of each of the clamp sections being centrally slotted, a'bolt member passing through the slots, nuts on the ends of the bolt contacting with the outer face of the clamp sections, said clamp sections having their base portions inclined inwardly from their outer'to their slotted.

ends and havingtheir upper, faces depressed from their inner ends, wedge members having lower rounded faces recelved 1n the said depressions, spring means between the wedge members influencing the same in an outward direction with respect to each other,;-and the said bolt underlying and sald spr ng means.

' Davis AMBROSE.

supporting I the v In testimony whereof I, affix my signaturef 

